Stud terminal for rail bonds



Sept. 5, 1939, I H, H. FE'BREY 7 STUD TERMINAL FOR BAIL BONDS Filed Jan; '25. 1937 v Inventor:

WA? @k/Wegi O D H. FEB'EEY,

Patented Sept. 1939 UNE'E'EB STA'ETE STUD TERMINAL FQR RAIL BONDS Harold H. Febrey,

South Oiange, N. J., assignor to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 25, 1937, Serial No. 122,264

1 Claim.

This invention relates to stud terminals for rail bonds, and is particularly concerned with such terminals when they are of the type intended for installation in bottomed rail recesses.

A specific example of a terminal embodying the features of the invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a horizontally sectioned top View of the terminal about to be installed in a rail head recess.

Figure 2 is a side View of the same.

The illustrated terminal has a solid stud l adapted to fit a bottomed rail recess, and a head 2 from which this stud extends and in which a tapered metal tools 3 is inserted so as to point toward the stud I, this tool being axially aligned with the stud and a portion 3a being exposed on the side of the head opposite the stud. The stud and body are both solid except for the tool 3 and are integral with one another.

The tool 3 has a relatively blunt point 3b terminating within the head at a location spaced from the junction between the head and stud, the exposed portion 3a of the tool being convex, with its central body extending above the sur face of the head while its periphery is beneath this surface, the head metal being formed over its periphery to permanently retain the tool in position. This means that the terminal is a unit, with no loose parts.

Upon the stud I being placed within a bottomed rail recess, and force being applied to the exposed portion 3a of the tool 3, expansion of the stud I occurs. This expansion is normally effected by reason of the blunt point 3b of the tool driving a part of the head metal into the stud, as indicated by arrows in Figure 1. Normally, actual penetration of the stud by the tool 3 is not effected; although in very extreme cases, such as when the terminal may have been pulled from the rail and reinstallation is desired, penetration of this tool into this stud is possible. However, the effect primarily desired is to drive a portion of the head metal into the stud, it being for this reason that the point 3b of the tool 3 is made relatively blunt, whereby wedge action of the tool is retarded and a forging action is promoted.

It is to be understood that the tool 3 should be made of metal harder than the terminal metal. Although it is possible to provide the same function by means of a terminal having a recess in its head, such as would appear if the tool 3 were removed, it is then necessary to use a separate tool which must be carried from bond to bond by the workman. It has been found from experience that this not only involves the trouble to be expected in the way of lost tools and inaccurate centering of the tools, but also a trouble that one would not normally expect, namely, that the points of the separate tools break with such frequency as to involve serious expense. It appears that in the case of the present invention the tool made into the terminal at the plant does not break or shatter, due to the fact that it is permanently buried within the head to that it is supported on all sides. Breakage is also prevented due to the fact that it is impossible to place the tool under shear in the case of the present invention, as well as because the tool need be only slightly harder than the terminal metal as contrasted to the great hardness required when a tool is to be used repeatedly. Also, the tool embedded in the terminal is subjected to relatively fewer blows.

I claim:

A rail bond terminal having a solid stud adapted to fit a rail recess and a head from which said stud extends and in which a tapered metal tool is inserted so as to point toward said stud, said tool being axially aligned with said stud and a portion of said tool being exposed on the side of said head opposite said stud, said head being solid except for the space occupied by said tool and being integral with said stud, said tool having a relatively blunt point terminating within said head at a location spaced from the junction between said head and said stud, whereby said tool functions when forced in the direction of said stud to forge part of the solid metal of said head into said stud to cause expansion of the latter, the exposed portion of said tool being shaped so that a part extends above the surface of said head and a partis beneath said surface, said head being formed over the last named part to permanently retain said tool in position.

HAROLD H. FEBREY. 

